Valve operating and controlling mechanism.



PATENTED DEC. 8, 1903. N

H. V. CONRAD. VALVE OPERATING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

' III/ll UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 190 3.

PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH V. CONRAD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO RAND DRILL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VALVE OPERATING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 746,032, dated December 8, 1903.

Application filed February 26, 1902. Serial No. 96,690. (No model.)

To aZZ whom itJW/CI/y concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH V. CONRAD, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Operating and Controlling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Myinvention relates to valve operating and controlling mechanism, and particularly to unloading devices controlling the inlet-valves of compressors.

My invention comprises fluid-pressure-controlled means for moving compressor inletvalves of the Corliss type to their inlet positions and maintaining them'in such positions regardless of the position or operation of the valve-gear adapted to normally operate the said valves.

The objects of myinvention are to simplify valve operating and controlling mechanism of the type described, to render the action of the same positive. and to provide a mechanism which is simple to manufacture, easy of access, and not liable to get out of order.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth, and other advantages of my invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a valve operating and controlling mechanism embodying my invention, certain parts being shown in central longitudinal section in order to better illustrate their operation. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of certain parts shown in Fig. 1, the parts being shown in different relative positions and the valves to be controlled illustrated in transverse section. Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section, taken upon the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end view of certain parts comprising fluid pressure controlled means.

In the embodiment of my invention herein I have illustrated my improved valve operating and controlling mechanism as applied to the inlet-valve of a compressor, the said in let-valves being of the Corliss type. It will be understood that such is but one embodiment of my invention and that the same is capable of many and varied applications Within the scope of my invention.

The valves to be controlled and which are rotary reciprocating valves of the Corliss type are designated by the reference character 1. They are fitted to the front and rear cylinder-heads 2 2 of the com pressor-cylinder 3. The valves 1 are provided with arms 4, rigidly connected thereto, and links 5 5, connecting the said arms with each other and with a slide 6. A rockinglever 7is pivotally mounted at a point to one side of the cylinder 3, and a connecting-rod 8, pivotally connected thereto, comprises a portion of valve operating means of the ordinary or any wellknown type. The rocking lever 7 has a bar 9 rigidly secured thereto, and said bar constitutes a guide upon which the slide 6 is mounted.

A bell-crank lever 10 is mounted upon a suitable pivotal support, and one of the arms of said bell-crank lever 10 is connected by a link 11 to the said slide 6. The other arm of the bell-crank lever 10 is connected, through a connecting-rod 12, to a piston 13, mounted in a cylinder 14. The cylinder 14 has a pipe connection 15, which is adapted to connect with a source of fluid-pressure and preferably with the receiver into which the compressor delivers its compressed fluid. A weight 16, secured to an arm 17, rigidly connected to the bell-crank lever 10, opposes pressure in the cylinder 14.

When the parts are in their normal position, in which position they are shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, reciprocation of the connectingrod 8 will impart a reciprocating movement to the rocking lever 7 and through the links 5 5 to the valves 1 l. The valves will be opened and closed at the desired points in the operation of the compressor and fluid will be admitted for compression, as desired. At a predetermined point fluid-pressure will be admitted, through the connection 15, to the cylinder 14 and the piston 13 will move outwardly under the influence of such pressure and against the opposing weight 16 to a position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This will rock the bell-crank lever 10 upon its so pport, and by reason of its connection through the link 11 with the slide 6 will draw the said slide along the guide 9 until the slide reaches the desired point with regard to the rocking lever 7. Such point herein is substantially the neutral point in the movement of the lever 7, such point being coincident with the axis of movement or" the said rocking lever. In such position both valves] 1 will be moved to their inlet positions, and rocking movements of the lever 7 will no longer cause a corresponding movement of the valves 1 1. \Vhen fluid-pressure within the cylinder 14 is relieved and the weight 16 again overbalances same, the parts will be returned to their normal positions (such as shown in Fig. 1) and the valves 1 1 will be operated as before. It will be noted that the fluid-pressure and weight-operated means will move the slide in either direction upon the rocking lever '7 regardless of the position of the said rocking lever at such time.

My invention is particularly adapted for unloading devices in connection with the Gorliss type of pressure inlet-valves and is a very simple and edective means forthrowing such valves into and out of operative position without interfering with the main valve-operating mechanism.

What I claim is 1. In an air-compressor, the combination with a cylinder, of reciprocating admissionvalves arranged in their reciprocation to alternately admit fluid for compression to opposite ends of the cylinder, and a rocking operating-lever for transmitting such reciprocating movement to said valves, of links normally connecting said valves to said rocking lever at a point therein having the necessary throw to produce the aforesaid reciprocation, and means for shifting the point of such connection to a point nearer the center of oscillation of said rocking lever, at which point the valves will notreceive an operative throw.

2. In an air-compressor, the combination with reciprocating inlet-valves, and a rocking operating-lever therefor, of links connecting said valves with said rocking lever, said valves being so ported, and said links of such length, as, in the operative position of said links with respect to the operating-lever, to cause one valve to be open when the other one is closed, and means for varying the point of connection of the links with the operating-lever, from an operative, to an inoperative point therein.

3. In an air-compressor, the combination with reciprocating inlet-valves, and a rocking operating-lever therefor, of links connecting said valves with said rocking lever, said valves being so ported, and said links of such length, as, in the operative position of said links with respect to the operating-lever, to cause one valve to be open when the other one is closed, and means for varying the point of connection of the links with the operating-lever, from an operative position therein, to a position substantially in line with the axis of movement of the said operating-lever.

4. In an air-compressor, the combination with a cylinder, of reciprocating admissionvalves arranged in their reciprocation to alternately admit fluid for compression to opposite ends of the cylinder, and a rocking operating-lever for transmitting such reciprocating movement to said valves, said operating-lever provided with a guide, of a slide mounted to move along said guide, links connected to said valves and to said slide, the connnection with said slide being at a point therein adapted in one position of said slide in its movement upon said guide, to be substantially in line with the center of oscillation of said rocking lever, and means for moving said slide along said rocking-lever guide.

5. In an air-compressor, the combination with a cylinder, of reciprocating admissionvalves arranged in their reciprocation to alternately admit fluid for compression to opposite ends of the cylinder, and a rocking operating-lever for transmitting such reciprocating movement to said valves, of links normally connecting said valves to said rocking lever at a point therein having the necessary throw to produce the aforesaid reciprocation, and fluid-pressure-controlled means for shifting the point of such connection to a point nearer the center of oscillation of said rocking lever, at which point the valves will not receive an operative throw.

6. In an air-compressor, the combination with a cylinder, of reciprocating admissionvalves arranged in their reciprocation to alternately admit liuidfor compression to opposite ends of the cylinder, and a rocking operating-lever for transmitting such reciprocating movement to said valves, said operatinglever provided with a guide, of a slide mounted to move along said guide, links connected to said valves and to said slide, the connection with said slide being at a point therein adapted in one position of said slide in its movement upon said guide, to be substantially in line with the center of oscillation of said rocking lever, and fluid-pressure-controlled means for moving said slide along said rocking-lever guide from an operative position therein, to the point in which the link connection therewith is in said neutral position.

7. In an air-compressor the combination with a cylinder, of reciprocating admissionvalves, arranged in their reciprocation to alternately admit fluid for compression to opposite ends of the cylinder, and a rocking operating-lever for transmitting such reciprocating movement to said valves, said operatinglever provided with aguide, of a slide mounted to move along said guide, links connecting said valves with said slide, a cylinder arranged to receive fluid under pressure, a pis- IOC 7 ton therein, and means connecting said piston with said slide.

8. In an air-compressor the combination with a cylinder, of reciprocating admissionvalves, arranged in their reciprocation to alternately admit fluid for compression to opposite ends of the cylinder, and a rocking operating-lever for transmitting such reciprocating movement to said valves, said operating- IO lever provided With a guide, of a slide mounted to move along said guide, links connecting said valves with said slide, a cylinder arranged to receive fluid under pressure, a piston therein, a lever controlled in its movements by said piston, and a link connecting 15 said lever with said slide.

HUGH V. CONRAD. Witnesses:

A. H. ELLARD, J. H. CUSTONS. 

